The present invention relates to a three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric that is formed of double web and has good dimensional stability in knitting and widthwise directions.
Conventionally, a mesh fabric formed of quadrangular mesh openings, that is, the marquisette-like knitted fabric has been formed by single-web weft knitting. The single-web knitted fabric is poor in thickness-wise dimensional stability and in bulkiness despite of mesh structure. Thus, the single-web knitted fabric has limited uses and is not suitable in the field of use where the thickness or three-dimensional structure is required.
Meanwhile, three-dimensional nets having three-dimensional spaces at mesh openings are proposed which are comprised of; front and back mesh webs; and connecting yarns that are alternately passed between the front and back mesh webs in a manner the front and back mesh webs are connected together. Among them are three-dimensional nets proposed by the applicant of the present invention. In the proposed three-dimensional nets, compressive strength and shape retainability are particularly improved (for example, Japanese Granted Patent Nos. 2,547,693 and 2,762,052).
In the proposed three-dimensional nets, the three-dimensional mesh spaces are defined by cord portions that have in themselves open spaces air and water conductible. Thus, the proposed three-dimensional nets are good in air conductibility and water conductibility. Nevertheless, the front and back mesh webs are formed by joining the braids continuing in the knitting direction with the braids adjoining on the right and left sides alternately.
Therefore, the three-dimensional net mentioned above requires some treatment for spread-widening of the three-dimensional mesh spaces, such as heat setting after knitting that is applied while the net is expanded both in the knitting and widthwise directions. Moreover, when the net is applied with tension in knitting direction, the three-dimensional mesh spaces are elongated in the knitting direction and narrowed in a knitting width direction, although the net has good compressive strength. This is because of such net structure the braids formed of one or a plurality of wales continuing in the knitting direction are joined with the adjoining braids on the right and left sides alternately.
Hence, the proposed three-dimensional net has poor dimensional stability in knitting and widthwise directions. Therefore, some reinforcer must be accompanied in a use where tensile strength and the dimensional stability both in the knitting and widthwise directions are required.
In addition, front and back surfaces of the three-dimensional net are formed of the planar braids on the front and back mesh webs, which have little unevenness if anything, and are relatively slippery. Therefore, in some application of the three-dimensional nets, the nets have to be laminated or composited with non-slippery or rough-surfaced materials.
In view of the above, the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric having following advantagesxe2x80x94good dimensional stability and shape reatainability in the knitting and widthwise directions despite of three-dimensional mesh structure; sufficient tensile strength in the knitting and widthwise directions; good linearities in mechanical properties; as well as other features such as air retainability, air conductibility, water conductibility, optical transmittance, transparency and bulkiness. The present invention is also to provide a three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric having features related to double-layered or triple layered structure that is for example formed of natural fabric and synthetic fabric; and having unevenness on the surfaces such as to prevent slippage; thereby being suitable for variety of applications due to such features.
A three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric made by warp knitting as a double-web knitted fabric and comprising: front and back mesh webs; and connecting yarns passed alternately between the mesh webs, at least one of said mesh webs being knitted as a marquisette-like structure comprised of; stitch rows of chain stitches; and inlay yarns knitting-width-wise inlayed rightward and leftward alternately into the stitch row. In other words, the invention encompasses; the knitting fabric in which both of the front and back mesh webs has a marquisette-like construction; and the knitted fabric in which one of the mesh webs has a marquisette-like g construction and another one of the mesh webs has a net construction or a mesh construction or the like.
The marquisette-like mesh webs may be fabricated as follows: shifting inlay yarn that constitute the mesh web traverse-wise by at least one wale at the required course position in the knitting direction to form quadrangular mesh openings as in so-called marquisette construction; in otherwise, by shifting the stitch rows traverse-wise by at least one wale at the required course position in the knitting direction to form mesh openings into a quadrangular shape. In such a case, the inlay yarn is recommended to be inlayed traverse-wise corresponding to the shifting of the stitch row.
The above-mentioned marquisette-like structure or construction may not be limited to the above marquisette construction, but fabrics using the marquisette construction as a base construction and applied with variations or modifications, or other fabrics made by quadrangular mesh openings or the like as a base structure and having an appearance of marquisette-like may be used.
Since the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric of structures mentioned above according to the present invention has a three-dimensional net structure with quadrangular mesh openings on at least one of the front and back surfaces, it is high in void content, light in weight, and superior in air conductibility or water conductibility. In addition to it, since at least one of the front and back mesh webs is formed into so called marquisette-like structure in which the mesh openings mainly assume a quadrangular shape by the stitch row and inlay yarn, it is moderately resilient and tough; and thus even when the other surface has other net structures of honeycomb or rhombic shape, it has significant tensile strength in the knitting and widthwise directions, is superior in dimensional stability in the knitting and widthwise directions; and shape retainability can be preferably maintained. Especially when the front and back mesh webs are marquisette-like knitting construction, the dimensional stability in the knitting and widthwise directions can be maintained further preferably; and simultaneously the knitted fabric being resilient and having body may be obtained.
The above-mentioned three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric may be fabricated in such a manner that; connecting yarns connecting the front and back mesh webs are shifted traverse-wise by at least one wale and passed as inclined at every required course position according to the marquisette-like structure or a net structure such as honeycombed, of the front and backmesh webs; thus pass-between portions of the connecting yarns are formed into a marquisette-like structure.
In this case, since a three-dimensional marquisette-like structure is formed at between the front and back mesh webs, the surrounding portion, of the connecting yarn, defining the three-dimensional quadrangular mesh openings includes inclined-wise extending connecting yarns not only at the portion in the knitting direction along the stitch row, but also at the portion in the knitting-width direction; and thus the entire surrounding portion forms a wall; thereby being superior in shape retainability and compressive strength of the entire knitted fabric.
It is particularly preferable when the connecting yarns are shifting traverse-wise at every course position corresponding to marquisette-like knitting construction of at least one of the front and back mesh webs and fabricated into a marquisette-like structure corresponding to the marquisette-like knitting construction of the mesh webs. In other words, it is further superior in overall shape retainability or compressive strength, and further, in permeability owing to the mesh openings assuming a quadrangular shape, especially air conductibility, water conductibility and light transmittance in the direction approximately right angle with respect to the surface of the fabric can be preferably maintained; and on the other hand, light-shielding effect and hiding power in the inclined direction increase.
In the above-mentioned three-dimensional marquisette knitted fabric, since connecting yarns for connecting the front and back mesh webs are shifted at a part of or all the required course positions, from first wale of one of the mesh webs to the wale of the other one that is shifted by at least one wale rightward or leftward from the second wale matching the first wale and passed in the inclined direction; the pass-between portions of the connecting yarns can be constructed so as to be inclined rightward and leftward alternately and/or intersected in X-form in a staggered manner.
In this case, inside of the quadrangular mesh openings at all or discretional portions of at least one of the front and back marquisette-like knitting construction, there are inclined-wise pass-between portions of the connecting yarns. Therefore, the portion extending in the knitting direction among the surrounding or defining portions of the mesh openings can be prevented from collapsing in the knitting-width direction; thereby improving the dimensional stability in the knitting and widthwise directions, increasing shape retainability, compressive strength and stability in thickness of the entire knitted fabric, and exhibiting good filtering effect.
In addition, when the connecting yarn is passed inclined-wise as mentioned above, it is possible to construct the fabric in such a manner that; at least at a part of the front and back mesh webs, there is no portion in which the connecting yarn is passed at a right angle between the front and back mesh webs; or that no connecting yarn is passed between the stitch rows on the inter-web-wise opposed wales on the front and back mesh webs. It is also possible to pass the connecting yarns every few courses inclined-wise so that the portion in which the connecting yarns are passed at a right angle with respect to the right and left mesh webs and the portion in which the connecting yarn is passed inclined-wise with respect thereto are mixed. The position where the connecting yarn is passed in the inclined direction can be determined arbitrary.
In the present invention, a three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric mentioned above may be constructed in such a manner that some of the stitch rows on at least one of the front and back mesh webs are not connected by the connecting yarn. In this case, the internal space increases and air conductibility, water conductibility, and light transmittance can be preferably maintained.
In addition, at least one of the front and back mesh webs may also be constructed in such a manner that; the stitch row of every other wale or every few wales are not connected by the connecting yarn at an entire course or an arbitrary positions of the course; so that the stitch rows connected by the connecting yarn and the stitch rows not connected by the connecting yarn are mixed.
As mentioned above, by constructing the fabric without passing the connecting yarn between the stitch rows of the inter-web-wise opposed wales on the front and back sides, the amount of consumption of the yarn of mesh web is well balanced, thereby improving knitting property.
In addition, light transmittance, moisture permeability, air conductibility, and water conductibility are improved, dimensional stability is not impaired, and economical efficiency is ensured.
Other aspect of invention-wise three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabrics comprising: front and back mesh webs; and yarns forming stitches on both of the mesh webs and in same time being passed alternately between the mesh webs as to connect the mesh webs, at least one of said mesh webs being knitted as a marquisette-like structure comprised of; stitch rows of chain stitches; and inlay yarns knitting-width-wise inlayed rightward and leftward alternately into the stitch row.
In this case as well, as in the case mentioned above, the inlay yarns and/or the stitch rows constituting said at least one of mesh webs are knitting-width-wise shifted by at least one wale, at the required course position in the knitting direction, as to form the marquisette-like structure.
In the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric according to the present invention, dimensional stability in the knitting and widthwise directions is excellent; shape retainability is preferably maintained, and yarn of the respective mesh webs do not appear on the surface of the other mesh web. Therefore, by using yarns of different materials or colors for these mesh webs; the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric the front and back sides of which are different in color or texture or which is reversible can be obtained.
In any one of the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric according to the present invention mentioned above, the front and back mesh webs can be fabricated into the knitting constructions having mesh openings of different arrangements, configurations, or sizes with respect to each other. It is also possible to make; one of the front and back mesh webs into a marquisette-like knitting construction; and the other thereof into a net structure, a mesh structure, or other knitted structure having, honeycomb or rhombus mesh openings.
By making the configuration or the size of the mesh openings on the front and back sides different, the knitted fabrics of net structure having strength, transparency, or light-shielding effect according to the applications can be obtained; and what is more, it has excellent dimensional stability in the knitting and widthwise directions; and thus shape retainability thereof can be preferably maintained.
The present invention encompasses the knitted fabric as formed in a manner that; on at least one of the mesh webs, yarns constituting very one of the mesh webs are draw-tensioned at every first one of required number of courses, so as to make plurality of adjacent wales of the stitch rows get close to each other. In addition, it is also possible to fabricate as follows; at least one of the mesh webs has a marquisette-like construction as formed in a manner that; adjacent ones of the stitch rows are joined by yarns constituting very one of the mesh webs; inlay yarns being inlayed rightward and leftward alternately, at every first one of required number of courses, into said adjacent ones of the stitch rows joined together.
When gathering up or joining the adjacent stitch rows by passing constituent yarn forming the mesh web for a plurality of wales, the number of wales is not necessarily required to be constant, but can be determined as desired; whereby the braids formed by joining a plurality of stitch rows may be made thick or thin as desired; thereby generating a marquisette-like structure having visually effective patterns.
When a plurality of stitch rows are gathered up or joined as mentioned above; the joined stitch rows and pass-between portions of the connecting yarns become as plurality-waled while inclination of the connecting yarns are increased; thus, compressive strength or shape retainability being improved. In addition to it, the mesh openings of a marquisette-like mesh web are enlarged; whereby permeability or light permeability increases while maintaining high compressive strength. Further, since the braids formed by joining a plurality of stitch rows are formed into ridges, unevenness is generated on the surface of the mesh web, thereby preventing slippage.
The braids formed integrally by gathering up or joining stitch rows of a plurality of wales mentioned above have following effects.
(a) The root portion of the pile can be firmly fixed to the braids (main fabric) to stabilize the three-dimensional configuration.
(b) Slippage of inlay yarn or chain stitched yarn, and shrinkage due to washing or the like can be prevented.
(c) Since the root portion of the connecting yarn can be firmly fixed to the integrated braids (main fabric), linearity of cushioning effect and resiliency is improved.
(d) The mesh web of the marquisette-like knitted fabric is given with toughness and resiliency to increase dimensional stability.
According to the present invention, the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric may be formed in a manner that; at least one of the mesh webs forms a checkered pattern as a whole, as formed in a manner that; inlay yarns are rightward and leftward alternately introduced at each gap between the stitch rows, and at alternately in a pitch of required number of courses. This can enlarge the mesh openings of the mesh web of marquisette-like. This effect increases especially when it is fabricated by gathering up by means of the inlay yarn as mentioned above. When the other one of the mesh webs has a honeycomb shape or other net constructions, the mesh openings of the marquisette-like mesh web corresponding to the mesh openings thereof can be enlarged.
At least one of the front and back mesh webs may be fabricated as follows; supply rate of chain stitch yarns or inlay yarns is varied, or the number of courses corresponding to a mesh opening, or the knitting construction is varied, at every required number of courses. In this arrangement, elasticity and tentering, or the cushioning effect or resiliency may be partially varied; thereby being improved in terms of design and thus it can be preferably used for chair covering or the like.
In still other three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric according to the present invention; the connecting yarns for connecting the mesh webs being passed as slanted at every first one of required number of courses, to be knitting-width-wise shifted by at least one wale when being passed as slanted; and thereby interweb-wise passed portions of the connecting yarns being formed as a marquisette-like structure.
In this case, at least one of the front and back mesh webs may be fabricated in a net structure or a mesh structure including mesh openings of honeycomb or rhombic configuration.
In the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric according to the present invention, even when the front and back mesh webs has any knitting construction such as a net structure in honeycomb configuration that is easily be deformed; since the portion of the connecting yarn between the front and back mesh webs is formed in a three-dimensional marquisette-like; it has adequately resilient and toughness in construction; thereby having good compressive strength, excellent dimensional stability and shape retainability of the entire knitted fabric in the warp and knitting-width direction, high void content, and preferable air and water conductibility.
In the respective three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabrics mentioned above according to the invention, the entire or a part of the connecting yarns for connecting the mesh webs may be knitted in two-needle stitch. Especially, it is fabricated into a marquisette-like structure by knitting two-needle stitch at every required number of courses. In this arrangement, the stability and linearity of the three-dimensional construction is further improved.
In any one of hereto-mentioned three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric of the present invention, the front and back mesh webs can be fabricated by different types of yarns at least one terms of; color, material, physical property,texture, and effect of treatment. In this arrangement, a product having different appearances or textures on the front and back sides can be obtained. In addition, when a heat fusing yarn is employed as at least one type of constituent yarn for the front and back mesh webs and subjected to heat setting, further stability is expected in three-dimensional construction.
In the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted yarn of the present invention, flexible yarns such as spun yarns or multifilament yarns is employed at least a part of yarns for constituting one or both of the mesh webs. The same flexible yarn as mentioned above can be used for at least a part of the connecting yarn.
Using the flexible yarn for constituent yarn forming the mesh webs realizes a soft texture of the surface of the mesh web. When the entire mesh web is fabricated by the use of flexible yarn, the surface of the mesh web; may be softer. Applying the raising process or shirring process on the surface will exhibit further softer appearance. When the flexible yarn is used for the connecting yarn as well, the flexible cushioning effect can be obtained.
In the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric of the present invention, yarns having an adequate rigidity such as monofilament yarns are used as a part of the connecting yarns; and flexible yarns such as monofilament yarns, spun yarns, multifilament yarns are also used as a part of the connecting yarns. In this arrangement, the portion having high compressive strength owing to rigid yarns and the portion with flexibility by flexible yarns are mixed; which results in soft resiliency with compressive strength as a whole In addition, the unevenness can be given to the front surface, which may achieve massaging effect or pressure sore preventing effect.
Elastic yarns may be used, at least partly, as yarns for constituting at least one of the mesh webs and/or the connecting yarns. The elastic yarns are preferably; special elastic yarns such as polyester thermo-plastic elastomer yarn having features of rubber and plastic; in addition to elastic yarns such as rubber yarns. Using such elastic yarns can realize enlargement of the mesh openings, elasticity or cushioning effect of the knitted fabric, or resilient fabric without looseness. By using special elastic yarns having a feature that can easily be elongated to a certain extent and exhibits almost no elongation thereafter, it can be used preferably as a covering material for the chair or the like.
In the three-dimensional marquisette-like knitted fabric mentioned above, preferably yarns of high-tensile-strength fibers such as mono-filament fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers are used, at least partly, as yarns for constituting at least one of the mesh webs and/or the connecting yarns. By this manner, a marquisette-like knitted fabric having resiliency and toughness, and in addition, having good dimensional stability and shape retainability can be obtained.
In the present invention, at least one of the front and back mesh webs can be fabricated in a manner that; inlay yarns thicker than other web-constituting yarns are rightward and leftward alternately introduced as being shifted by more than one wale at every required course position. By this manner, since the part of the marquisette-like structure formed by thick yarn appears on the surface of at least one of the front and back mesh webs in the shape of a projection, the entire surface of the knitted fabric is uneven; whereby the slippage preventing effect on the knitted fabric increases; and compensation can be achieved without increasing weight per unit area so much.